DIDN’T see that coming. Few did. Jack O’Connor made a point after this win of saying the “experts didn’t give us much of a chance”. It wasn’t that. So much more was expected from Cork but it never materialised. In front of a 40,892 crowd, last year’s All-Ireland champions did show their ability to recover, almost doing what they did in the Division One final against Dublin, when they had transformed a heavy deficit into a winning lead. When John Miskella found himself facing Brendan Kealy three minutes from time, it appeared the chatter today would be of how Kerry blew a nine-point lead. But the defender’s shot cannoned off the upright and wide when a point would have drawn the game and made it 1-6 to Cork without reply in the second half. With it, Kerry appeared to realise they had been let off the hook. Even with six minutes added by David Coldrick, they looked composed, soaking up Cork pressure and staging meticulous attacks for Eoin Brosnan to fist over and substitute James O’Donoghue to finish matters.

Cork had left themselves with too much work to do after being taken aback by Kerry’s incredible work-rate around the centre, although they played into the home team’s hands with so many short kick-outs which were coming back at Alan Quirke at a rate of knots. Paudie Kissane and Jamie O’Sullivan were finding Darran O’Sullivan and Kieran O’Leary’s flight of foot too much for their liking while Graham Canty didn’t look comfortable on Declan O’Sullivan. It was Dromid Pearses’ O’Sullivan who extended Kerry’s lead to nine just seconds into the second half and almost all of a sudden Kerry became a different team. A lot of it had to do with Cork gaining a foothold and suffocating Kerry when they attempted to clear their lines.

But there wasn’t as much adventure in their football, as evidenced by the fact there was 36 minutes between that O’Sullivan point and Brosnan’s 72nd-minute effort. It took Cork 30 minutes to reduce their arrears from nine to one, the first couple of points coming from Daniel Goulding’s left boot in the space of a minute. But their comeback may have been accelerated had Coldrick, with the advice of his linesman Cormac Reilly, taken a harder line with Kieran Donaghy for an apparent stamp on Noel O’Leary. The Cork defender was unfairly holding back Donaghy but the Kerryman’s reaction was rash and he could count himself lucky to only get a yellow card.

The attention O’Leary required after the incident was just one of several stoppages in the second half as Cork players — Ciarán Sheehan being the biggest worry — hobbled off and crafty Kerry made as much of the injuries they had in energy-sapping conditions. Still, Kerry’s attempts to run down the clock weren’t enough to put off Cork’s revival. Kerrigan, who had a shot saved by Brendan Kealy just two minutes in, scored his first couple of points either side of another Goulding free. The margin was cut to three when Donncha O’Connor, who hadn’t got much purchase from Marc Ó Sé, converted a penalty after the Kerry full-back was deemed to have touched the ball on the ground in denying Kerrigan yet again. The move that led to the shot was purposeful, involving marauding moves from Aidan Walsh and the excellent Alan O’Connor. It was typical of the direct running that brought Cork back into the game.

An Ó Sé attempted hand-pass was intercepted and turned into an Alan O’Connor point before substitute Barry John Keane was overturned and the ball found its way over the bar from Kerrigan. They had everything going with them before Miskella’s golden chance but will be asking why they have found themselves so far behind against genuine challengers to their throne in their two biggest games this year. Their own kick-out strategy in the first half will have to be debated in-camp while Conor Counihan will ponder whether he got the right match-ups. If Michael Shields was keeping tabs on Colm Cooper his fellow Cork defenders were struggling, namely Kissane and Canty on the two O’Sullivans in the forward line. He scored one of Kerry’s unanswered four opening scores and left Kissane trailing in the 15th minute to hit the roof of the net after a trademark burst following a Kieran O’Leary lay-off. He could have had a second a minute later when Donaghy supplied him but Alan Quirke was alert enough to push it out for a 45. Three Cork scores on the trot made it 1-5 to 0-5 but Kerry finished the half tremendously, Declan O’Sullivan kicking three of five points, although he and O’Leary and Bryan Sheehan, the other two point-finishers, could thank the pressure put on the likes of Kissane and Aidan Walsh in kicking Cork possession away. Such was Kerry’s dominance, they had eight wides in the first half. All but an irrelevance now because of a not-so accurate strike at goal. July garlands to Kerry, then. But you get the feeling this is far from over.

Glorious weather – a glorious setting in the Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney on the first Sunday in July, as Kerry met and beat the All-Ireland Champions Cork, to post back to back Munster Senior Football titles after an absorbing and frenetic final in searing heat, before a crowd of 41,000. It was a game that Kerry had in their grasp from the very outset as they led by eight at the break but a tremendous Cork fight back in the second half and the ghosts of 2008, when Kerry lost an eight point half time lead in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the second period after the introduction of Michael Cussen and a deluge, threatened to spoil another Kingdom victory over their deadly rivals!

However when a goal bound effort from Cork defender John Miskella struck the post in 66th minute, it was always going to be Kerry’s day as Man of the match Declan O’Sullivan dropped back in defence to repel the Rebels and late points from Eoin Brosnan and debutant James O’Donoghue, saw Kerry safely across the winning line by three points and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. A wise man once said that “The greatest source of success is the belief that it can happen and your will to do the work” and that seemed to be Kerry’s motto all through as they worked and fought for each and Kerry certainly laid the ghosts of the All-Ireland defeat of Down in Croke Park last July to rest.

This was a triumph for not alone the team, but also the Kerry management team led by Jack O’Connor who clearly tactically outsmarted their Cork counterparts as Kerry won most of the man to man duels and early in the second half Kerry led by as much as nine points. This win is all the more meritorious when one considers that it was achieved without three of Kerry’s top performers, Tomas Ó Sé , Paul Galvin and Tommy Griffin and all three should be available for Kerry’s Bank Holiday weekend All-Ireland Ireland quarterfinal so Kerry must now be close to being favourites to lift Sam for the 37th time.

However Kerry boss Jack O’Connor will be only taking one game at a time and was happy with the outcome on Sunday, particularly the first half display but there will be concerns about the ease at which the Cork players ran through the Kerry defence at times during the second half. Kerry began with Kieran Donaghy going to midfield for the throw in while Bryan Sheehan moved to the forty and Declan O’Sullivan to full-forward. In fact Donaghy helped Kerry win the throw in and when the ball was moved to Colm Cooper, he was off target inside the opening minute. Kerry had a lucky let off at the other end when Cork broke through and Donnchadh O’Connor placed Jimmy Kerrigan who was through one on one on keeper Brendan Kealy, who saved the day with an outstretched leg.

Kerry opened their account in the 4th minute when Kieran O’Leary was fouled by Jamie O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper converted the free. Cork were taking short kick outs which was a baffling ploy with so many big men around the middle and this allowed Kerry to take full advantage. Kerry with Bryan Sheehan and Anthony Maher battling hard at midfield and the Kerry defenders winning their personal duels with the Cork forwards, Kerry began to take complete control. Darran O’Sullivan then set up Kieran Donaghy for a fine point in the 10th minute and then when Bryan Sheehan intercepted a poor kick out, Declan O’Sullivan made it 0-3 to 0-0 and a minute later it was the turn of Colm Cooper to fire over a point after another sweeping move.

Cork responded with a Daniel Goulding point after he skipped past Tom O’Sullivan, and they added a second from the boot of Donnchadh O’Connor in the 12th minute. However Kerry were winning most of the duels at the back, Eoin Brosnan had the measure of Pierce O’Neill, Tom O’Sullivan doing well on Daniel Goulding, Marc O’Se on Donnchadh O’Connor, Shane Enright on Paul Kerrigan while Killian Young was curbing the threat of Patrick Kelly. Then in the 14th minute Kerry struck for a crucial goal when Kieran O’Leary gained possession and quick hands saw Darran O’Sullivan race through and the Glenbeigh express blasted the ball to the Cork net. Donaghy added a point so by the 15th minute Kerry had raced 1-5 to 0-2 in front and Cork was clearly rattled.

Kerry should have increased their lead, over the next three minutes but they had a ’45goal chance missed, Bryan Sheehan failed with a ’45, and Kieran Donaghy shot wide. Cork rallied with points from Goulding (free) and a superb effort from Ciaran Sheehan as Kerry added two more wides with Kieran O’Leary being the culprit. Patrick Kelly then closed the gap to a goal in the 25th minute but Declan O’Sullivan had Graham Canty in a spin as he kicked over a beauty in the 26th minute but untypically Colm Cooper missed a free as Kerry; s wide count mounted but it was all the Kingdom at this stage as they attacked in numbers with birthday boy Donnacha Walsh and Darran O’Sullivan linking up well with their defence, Four unanswered points before half time, from Declan O’Sullivan (2), Kieran O’Leary and Bryan Sheehan saw Kerry take a healthy eight point lead into the dressing rooms, 1-10 to 0-5 but Kerry had been in that position before back in 2008, and they knew there would be a Cork backlash.

Pierce O’Neill went to midfield for the second half as Cork tried to get back in the contest but when Declan O’Sullivan swung over a point after an Anthony Maher assist, Kerry looked almost over the line as they led by nine 1-11 to 0-5. However Cork was not going to lie down -and taking over around the middle -they ran at Kerry and two points followed from Goulding. Kerry thanks to points from Donnchadh Walsh and Bryan Sheehan led 1-13 to 0-7 by the 46th minute, but that was to be Kerry’s last score until injury time. Cork took over completely and drove forward in waves as Paul Kerrigan ( 2) and a Goulding free closed the gap to five but then came the crucial moment that threw the contest wide open when Cork were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute when Kerrigan shot beat Kealy and Marc Ó Sé was forced to handle on the ground. Donnchadh O’Connor made no mistake from the spot and suddenly the game was in the melting pot, 1-13 to 1-10.

Alan O’Connor then intercepted a poor Marc Ó Sé pass and raced through for a point and then Kerrigan made in a one point game with nine minutes left, and it was a question could Kerry hang on. However some timely substitutions, and with Marc Ó Sé, Daniel Bohan and Donnchadh Walsh along with Declan O’Sullivan and Kieran Donaghy dropping back to help out, Kerry hung on despite John Miskella striking the post when he might have punched the equalizer. Then Kerry counter attacked- displaying their hunger, for victory and Eoin Brosnan was sent trough for an injury time point than James O’Donoghue made it three with his debut point in the Championship as Kerry held on for a famous win and the Cork famine in Killarney stretching back to 1995, continues.

Man of the Match: Declan O’Sullivan (Kerry) – awesome display from a footballer on top of his game.

Won the Munster Final with victories over Tipperary, Cork (after a replay) and Limerick. Lost to Down in the All-Ireland Senior Football Quarter-Final.

Drew with Kerry in the Munster Semi-Final before losing the replay. Cork then recorded victories over Cavan, Wexford, Limerick, Roscommon and Dublin to qualify for the All-Ireland where they recorded a 0-16 to 0-15 victory over Down.

Note – All-Ireland Championship matches between Kerry and Cork are not included
These are Munster Championship stats only

Cork have not beaten Kerry in a Senior Football Championship match played at a Kerry venue since 1995. This 16 year gap pales in significance to the 74 year period 1891 and 1965 when Cork achieved 1 Munster Senior Football Championship victory on Kerry soil. The 1945 Munster Final success in Killarney was Cork’s only Senior Football Championship victory in 16 attempts of making the trip to the Kingdom during that period.

4 of the last 6 meetings between Cork and Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney have ended in draws.

Cork’s record against Kerry when they have won the All-Ireland in the previous season is won 3 and lost 3. Their 3 successes came in 1891, 1974 and 1990. They were dethroned by Kerry in 1912, 1946 and 1991.

Kerry have never beaten Cork in the Munster Senior Football Championship at a neutral venue (it happened 3 times!)

“Points win games”!! – Or so you would think looking at the recent record of Cork and Kerry. Neither County has recorded more than 1 goal in Munster Senior Football Championship meetings since the 2000 Munster Semi-Final which Kerry won by 2-15 to 1-13. During the 13 subsequent Munster Championship matches between the counties, they have combined to score a total of 12 goals between them or 1 goal for every 77 minutes of Championship action.

The highest score by an individual team in a Cork vs. Kerry Munster Senior Football Championship match was the 1976 Munster Final replay at Pairc Ui Chaoimh which Kerry won by 3-20 to 2-19.

The highest margin of victory between the teams was in the first round match in 1937 played at Killarney with Kerry winning by 6-7 to 0-4 – a margin of 21 points.

In the 1890 Munster Senior Football Final, Laune Rangers (kerry) and Midleton (Cork) were the finalists. The game was 57 minutes old, with the sides scoreless, when the ball burst and as there was no replacement ball the game could not continue and was abandoned.

In the 1893 Final, Laune Rangers (Kerry) and Dromtarriffe (Cork) were fixed on two occasions to play this final in Millstreet but the Kerry side did not travel. The game was fixed for a third time in Mallow but there was still no show from the Kerry side and Cork received a walkover.

Allianz Football League Division 1 champions Cork proved that points win games, not goals. The Rebels scored just 6 goals in 8 matches in the League (compared to 18 goals for League runners-up Dublin). However, a contribution of 131 points (average of 16+ per game) proved sufficient to retain their League title.

Kerry conceded just 5 goals in Allianz Football League Division 1 action (Dublin 3, Armagh and Down 1 each).

There has been a 62% increase in the number of scores in each of the last 4 Munster Senior Football Championships – 2008 (21 scores per game), 2009 (24 scores per game), 2010 (28 scores per game), 2011 (34 per game to date)

Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford have played a combined 20 competitive away matches in 2011 and won 3.

Kerry’s only competitive defeats of 2011 to date have come against Allianz Football League Division 1 finalists Cork and Dublin – losing by 1 point on both occasions.

Clare joined Dublin as the only counties in the Allianz Football League to score 10 goals more than they conceded during the League rounds. Clare scored 13 goals (5 each against London and Kilkenny) and conceded 3.

Since 2000, Limerick have won 2 home games in the Munster Senior Football Championship – against Waterford in 2004 (1-18 to 0-7) and against Clare in 2006 (2-5 to 0-8).

Cork’s Daniel Goulding was the 3rd top scorer in the 2010 Provincial and All-Ireland Senior Football Championships, scoring 1-43 to lie behind John Doyle (Kildare) and Bernard Brogan (Dublin) in the top scorer charts.

On this date in history – the last time the Munster Senior Football Final was played on July 3rd was in 1988 when Kerry defeated Cork by 1-14 to 0-16 at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

In the Senior Football All Ireland Roll of Honour, Kerry are top with 36, 14 ahead of the next county – Dublin. Cork are 4th in the roll of honour with 7 titles. Tipperary have won 4 All-Ireland’s, their last in 1920 while Limerick won the first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship played in 1887 and also won the All-Ireland in 1896.